Monageer retain status
MONAGEER-B’VOGUE 1-15 CRAANFORD 2-8
MONAGEER-BOOLAVOGUE will take their place in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship once again next season after battling past Craanford in a scrappy encounter in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
As one might expect when two teams struggling for form come together, this wasn’t much of a spectacle as both struggled to find their rhythm.
In truth, Monageer-Boolavogue’s 16 scores to ten tells much of the story, as they were the better side and deserve to have another crack at this level next season.
On the other hand, Craanford can have no complaints. They, probably more than any other side in this grade, have got the utmost possible out of the talent at their disposal in the last few years.
They have taken some scalps along the way, and played some great games, but they need to re-group now and not allow themselves to slide further.
Relegation final generally equals desperation, but Craanford looked like a jaded, tired team in the first quarter.
They felt they weren’t getting the rub of the green with decisions but they had just one Pat Murray point, plus two wides, to show for their first 15 minutes of endeavour.
On the other hand, Monageer-Boolavogue had come out of the blocks with intent. It wasn’t always pretty but six wides mixed in with five points, including three Pádraig Flynn dead-balls, gave them a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.
They added another five in the second quarter as wing-forward Matthew Dunne registered his second and Mark Gahan and Larry Murphy hit the target.
However, Craanford were given some hope when Murray’s effort came down off the right upright and Michael O’Loughlin whipped it to the net.
Craanford trailed by 0-10 to 1-3 at the break but Murray did pull one back quickly. However, after Flynn knocked over his sixth of the afternoon, the ‘Ford didn’t get within three again until very late in the contest.
Monageer-Boolavogue seemed to be cruising when Mick Sweeney pulled home his side’s major at the second attempt (1-12 to 1-4), but Craanford chipped away with Ollie Doran points.
It was game on when Matthew Nolan drilled home a goal out of nowhere with two minutes left, but Flynn settled any nerves with an injury time point and his side survived.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Morgan Gahan; Liam Gahan, Chris Daly, Shane Gahan; Niall O’Reilly, Tommy Breen (capt.), Ian Hawkins; Stephen Murphy, Larry Murphy (0-1); Pádraig Flynn (0-9, 7 frees), Damien Fenlon, Matthew Dunne (0-2); Mick Sweeney (1-0), Colm O’Loughlin, Mark Gahan (0-3). Subs. - Micheál Gahan for Hawkins (38), Cathal Walsh for Fenlon (41), Brian O’Loughlin for Dunne (43), Niall O’Loughlin for C. O’Loughlin (60), Seán McCabe for Murphy, temp. (60+3-end), Mark Walsh for M. Gahan (60+6).
Craanford: Andrew Tighe; Joe Berney, Pat Kenny, Michael Sinnott; William Conroy, Michael Lyons, Eoin Doyle; Jim Kenny, Ollie Doran (0-5, 2 frees); James Smyth, Pat Murray (0-3), Michael O’Loughlin (1-0); John Fleming, Matthew Nolan (capt., 1-0), Niall Berney. Subs. - Des Kavanagh for Fleming (29), Ger Lyons for Sinnott (37), Martin Doyle for Smyth (46).
Referee: Brian O’Leary (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).